Fishing council says consumers feeling licence buyback impact

The WA Fishing Industry Council says consumers are paying the price for a decision to buy back commercial fishing licences in Broome's Roebuck Bay.

Last month, the State Government bought back the two licences to try to boost recreational fishing in the town.

The licences were mainly used to catch barramundi and threadfin salmon for the Perth and eastern states markets.

Wyndham-based commercial fisherman Mark Douglas says he has been inundated with requests from Broome and Perth retailers to buy fish in the wake of the buyout but cannot keep up with demand.

He says it is another blow to the commercial industry.

"Eventually we've got marine parks coming into the area as well which is going to affect a few of the other fishermen along the Kimberley coast," he said.

"So basically you've lost quite a significant amount of fresh produce for Broome and Perth, so it's their loss, not particularly our loss but anyway it's not a good thing."

The Department of Fisheries says the decision to buy back the licences ensures resources can be shared between the commercial and recreational sectors.

The department's northern regional manager, Peter Godfrey, says the market will have to adjust to the change.

"There's five other licences that can supply barramundi and threadfin across the local area," he said.

"It may be a case of there may some market adjustment there.

"The fishery's actually closed at the moment so for three months of each year - November, December and January - the fishery closes altogether so there's no supply of barramundi and threadfin during that time anyway."